AN ACT relating to early high school graduation and making an appropriation therefor.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 158 to be numbered KRS 158.142 to establish the option for early high school graduation beginning in the 2013-2014 school year; define the curriculum requirements for early graduation and conditional admission into a Kentucky public two-year institution or four-year university; specify that students shall obtain a qualifying benchmark score on each of the end-of-course examinations that make up the high school achievement portion of the accountability system under KRS 158.6453 and that students obtain a qualifying benchmark score on a world language proficiency assessment approved by the Kentucky Board of Education; establish the Early Graduation Scholarship Certificate and the processes for awarding it and using it; create a new section of KRS 164 to create the early graduation scholarship fund to be administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority; amend KRS 157.360 to describe how state funds from the SEEK appropriation will be transferred to the scholarship fund to support early high school graduates; amend KRS 158.140 to limit the powers of the Kentucky Board of Education or a local board from imposing graduation requirements that would prohibit a student from pursuing an early graduation program; amend KRS 164.7879 to prescribe how an annual KEES award for an early graduate would be calculated; amend KRS 157.420 to conform; APPROPRIATION.

HCS - Retain original provisions except delete requirement that students obtain a qualifying benchmark score on a world language proficiency assessment; require schools to notify the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority of students intending to graduate early and students who receive an Early Graduation Scholarship Certificate; amend KRS 159.010 to permit, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, each local board of education on the recommendation of the superintendent and approval of the Kentucky Department of Education to require children residing in the school district's attendance area to attend school until the child has reached his or her eighteenth birthday, except as provided in KRS 159.030; require school attendance until age 18 in all districts once 40% of districts require children to attend school until age 18; direct that the statewide requirement become effective 4 years after the 40% threshold is met; amend KRS 159.020 to conform; make technical corrections.HCA (1/Title, C. Rollins II) - Make title amendment.